The University of Warwick are leading a clinical trial to stop long-term dependency on prescription painkillers, a hot topic in recent months due to the struggles of TV presenter Ant McPartlin and a hard-hitting Coronation Street storyline.

Addiction to prescription painkillers has become a costly problem in recent years with opioid prescriptions costing more than £200million in 2015.

His struggle inspired Coronation Street actor Daniel Brocklebank, who researched Ant’s battle for a recent storyline, which sees his character hooked on strong drugs after falling off a cliff, reports the Mirror.

Researchers from Warwick Medical School, and The James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, have developed a one-to-one support programme that they hope will help people with long-term pain reduce their dependency on opioids and improve their quality of life.

The study, called I-WOTCH (Improving the Wellbeing of People with Opioid Treated Chronic Pain), will compare their new programme to existing GP care.

There are 468 volunteers taking part, who will be randomly divided into two groups.

Both will have access to the usual GP care plus an information booklet and a relaxation CD, but one group will also take part in the support programme led by a research nurse and a trained lay person who has chronic pain but has reduced their opioids intake.

The programme will include sessions such as coping techniques, stress management, goal setting, mindfulness, posture and movement advice, how to manage any withdrawal symptoms, and pain control after opioids.

Tramadol

Dr Harbinder Sandhu, associate professor at Warwick Medical School, who is leading the trial, said: “Evidence suggests that opioids are only effective in the short term and patients take them long term then need to manage a range of side effects and can suffer devastating withdrawal symptoms.

“However in the UK reports indicate that between 2000-2010 prescriptions of opioids for non-cancer pain increased by 466% and in 2015 there were 16 million opioid prescriptions costing over £200 million.

“Structured, group-based, psycho-educational self-management interventions help people to better manage their daily lives with a long-term condition, including persistent pain, but few of these have specifically targeted patients considering opioid withdrawal.

“There are substantial potential benefits to individuals and to the health and social care system from reducing opioid use.